A77 Architects Fashion Home From Demolition Materials

Argentinean architects Gustavo Dieguez and Lucas Gilardi of Estudio a77 transformed an existing 1950s house on a small lot in an upscale neighborhood of Buenos Aires into an innovative eco-friendly dwelling. Constructed from recycled and reclaimed materials, this ‘demolition house’ turns trash into a treasured abode. Using approximately 50 meters of recycled highway guard rails from the General Paz (a highway surrounding Buenos Aires) and 300 meters of discarded metal profiles, wood, iron doors and windows found in scrap yards, Dieguez and Gilardi rework demolition materials into fully functioning structural elements.

Situated around a swimming pool on the upper level, the metal structure, made from found parts, is mounted on the existing house foundation, forming a bridge that works to support the pool on the second floor of the house. Painted orange, a common color used to protect steel, the old metal retains its history while reinventing itself through its new and varied use.

While the upper level is centered around the swimming pool, the lower level, comprised of a large loft and adjacent bedrooms, is carefully positioned around a central courtyard, open from above, which provides natural light and ventilation throughout the house.

Adding up the house’s sustainability points, the architects employ the metal material to foster open spaces and enhance the natural environment throughout the house — while a green roof the site’s small lot boosts the house’s green credo. Maintaining the best possible relationship with the air, surrounding views and sun, this environmentally efficient house has been successfully retrofitted for the twenty-first century.